Air-brake bleeder system



United States Patent AIR-BRAKE BLEEDER SYSTEM Chester Kowalski, Clyde, Ohio Application September 26, 1955, Serial No. 536,667 4 Claims. (Cl. 303-70) This invention relates to air-brake systems, and more particularly to the bleeder system for brake cylinders on railway rolling stock.

An object of this invention is to provide a push-button control for the bleeder valve in an air-brake system.

Another object of this invention is to provide a control which enables an engineer of a train to simultaneously exhaust the .air from the brake cylinders of all the cars of a train and thereby simultaneously release the brakes throughout the length of the train.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device which may be attached to the standard air brake bleeding valves for operation thereof, which includes a minimum of installation problems. ,1

Another object of this invention is to provide an economical unit which may readily be combined with a standard bleeder valve and which is fully operated from the sources of power available on a standard train.

Other objects and advantages of this invention relating to the arrangement, operation and functions of the related elements of the structure, to various details of con- 7 struction, to combination of parts and to economics of manufacture, will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic showing of a single brake cylinder installation found on each unit of rolling stock for a railway train;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the control unit for operating the bleeder valve of the installation of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of an electrical coupling for use in the electrical system to connect the various units in a train.

The standard train of today may be powered by a steam locomotive, a diesel driven engine, or an electric engine. Regardless of the motive power, the tractor or locomotive 10 carries a source of air pressure as well as a storage supply or reservoir therefore,together with a source of electric power.

Extending from the air pressure source is the train line 12, connected to each and every unit of rolling stock 14 within the train by means of suitable couplings 16. This train line 12 is also provided with a manually operable valve 18 at each end of every unit 10, 14, whereby the effective operation of the brake system may be controlled regardless of the number of units in the makeup of the train. These valves 18 may also be manipulated to cut off sections of a train, if and when found desirable, thereby limiting the operation of the brake system to a fraction of the trains length.

From the source of air pressure within the engine 10, the train line 12, when properly coupled, continuously extends throughout the length of the train. While but ice I a single unit of driven rolling stock 14 is indicated in Fig. 1, each unit carries an air-brake system 20, including a cylinder 22 for operating a link 24 mechanically connected to the brakes for that particular unit. An auxiliary reservoir 26 may be included for that particular unit. An auxiliary reservoir 26 may be included in the system which is supplied with pressure by branch line 28 from the train line 12 and through a triple valve. Also a manually operable valve 30 may be included in the branch line 28 in order to cut oil any individual brake system within the train length should such action be found necessary or desirable.

The air pressure in charged systems maintains the brakes in released condition, and, in order to set the brakes, the pressure must be reduced in the train line 12.

After the brakes have once been applied they may be released either by increasing the pressure 111 the train line or by venting the brake cylinderthrough the auxiliary reservoir with the car brake unit in application position. Releasing of the brakes is accomplished by the operation of a bleeder valve 32 on the reservoir 26, which is operated by an actuating rod 34. Normally, this has been a manual operation requiring a brakeman to successively bleed the train units, which requires a considerable length of time, especially in long trains. The system herein is particularly useful in yard maneuvering of trains.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide a unit which may be mechanically connected to each brake system whereby the operation of the bleeder valves may be simultaneously effected in each unit of a series of cars and operated by the engineer from his station in the engine 10.

Mounted adjacent the air-brake mechanism 20is a housing 36 for a control mechanism to open and close the bleeder valve 32, which mechanism is controlled from the engine 10.

The mechanism includes a solenoid 33 for shifting its armature 40 in one direction. This'armature 40 is provided with a shaft extension 42 projecting through a fixed bracket 44 and therebeyond to terminate in a collar 46. Positioned about the shaft, between the collar 46 and the bracket 44,'is a helical spring 48 normally urging the collar 46 in the direction opposite the pull of the armature 40. So when the solenoid is charged, the collar 46 will be pulled toward the solenoid and when the solenoid is de-activated, the spring 48, having been compressed between the collar 46 and the bracket 44, will.

move the collar 46 away from the solenoid 38.

The collar 46 is pivotally connected to one end of a lever 50 which has its opposite end in operable connection with the bleeder valve actuation rod 34. It is obvious that when the solenoid acts to move the armature thereinto the valve 32 will be opened to drain the brake system 20, thereby releasing the brakes.

The solenoid 38 is operated by switch 52 in the engine 10. By closing such switch current is carried from a suitable source in the engine by line 54 to the solenoid, the opposite pole being connected to ground to complete a circuit for the solenoid. The switch may be a dipole unit if the circuit is not ground.

When the solenoid is activated, means are provided to temporarily lock the armature in thrown position. To this end a lever type trigger 56 has a catch terminus 58 thrown into the line of armature movement'to hold the armature within the solenoid. This is accomplished by a spring 60 coacting between the opposite end of the trigger 56 and a fixed bracket 62.

As the armature is drawn into the solenoid, collar 64 on the shaft 42 throws switch arm 66 which in turn actuates switch 68 to open the circuit 54 to the solenoid. Thisprevents the current flowing to the solenoid after it has opened the bleeder to thereby prevent overheating of the solenoid or chattering thereof.

The trigger 56 on its end remote from the catch 58 is provided with a cam portion 70. Directed against the cam portion 70 is a plunger 72 as an extension of piston rod 74 outwardly projecting from cylinder 76. Branch duct 78 extends from the cylinder 76 to the train line 12;. A spring 80 is disposed about the plunger 72 between a fixed bracket 82 and a collar 84 mounted on the plunger.

Switch 86 at the engineers station adjacent the switch 52, when closed, completes a circuit to a solenoid valve 88 disposed in the train line 12 between the source of air pressure for the brake system and the first car unit drawn by the engine. When the switch 86 is closed, the valve 88 is opened and pressure flows through the train line 12 and branch 28 to charge the reservoir 26. Simultaneously, pressure flows by line 78 to the cylinder 76. This forces the plunger outwardly to operate against the cam 70 and also compress the spring 80. The trigger 56 is rocked and the catch 58 releases the armature 49. Spring 48 .then throws the shaft 42 outwardly to rock lever 50 and thereby close valve 32. Atthe same time, the switch 68 is closed. Thus the brakes are operated and so held until switch 52 is operated to reverse their action.

In order to facilitate the connections of the electric system between cars, a two piece plug 90 is installed in the line 54 between each pair of succeeding cars. Each half of the plug includes a male finger and a female socket. Thus, if the cars of the train are reversed, each plug may still be readily used without twisting of the wiring and polarity may be retained.

It is to be understood that the above description of the present invention is intended to disclose an embodiment thereof to those skilled in the art, but that the invention is not to be construed as limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable .of being practiced and carried out in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. The language used in the specification relating to the operation and function of the elements of the invention is employed for purposes of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the scope of the following claims beyond the requirements of the prior art.

What is claimed and desired to secure by United States Letters Patent:

1. In an air brake system for tractor and trailing vehicles the combination of an auxiliary reservoir, brake cylinder, train line, train line circuit and atriple valve on each said trailingvehicle, and a source of'electric current, said system further including: a bleeder valve for said auxiliary reservoir and having an actuator therefor comprising a solenoid connected to said train line circuit, an armature shiftable by said solenoid in one direction when said solenoid is energized, means connecting said armature to said bleeder Valve, spring means for shifting said armature in the opposite direction when 4 said solenoid is de-energized, a circuit from said source of electric current including a manually operable switch on said tractor vehicle connected to said train line circuit to energize said solenoids, a second switch in the connection between each solenoid and associated train line circuit operable by the movement of said armature, mechanical means for locking said armature in its solenoid shifted position, and means connected with said train line for selectively releasing said locking means when said train line is in a fully charged condition.

2. An air brake system as defined in claim 1 including a valve in said pressure source to the lock releasing means, and a second electric circuit for operating said valve, said circuit including a second manually operable switch.

3. In an air brake system for tractor and trailing vehicles the combination of an auxiliary reservoir, brake cylinder, train line, train line circuit and source of current therefor, and a triple valve on each said trailing vehicle, said system further including: a bleeder valve for said auxiliary reservoir, and actuator means for opening said bleeder valve and automatically closing said bleeder valve when said train line is in a charged'condition, said actuator means including: a shaft mounted for reciprocating movement from a first position wherein the bleeder valve is closed to a second position wherein said valve is opened, means operable in response to a signal from said train line circuit for moving said shaft to said second position, mechanical locking means automatically operable in absence of pressure in said train line to lock the shaft in said second position upon movement thereto to maintain the bleeder valve in the open position, release means connected with said train line for selectively releasing said locking means when said train line is in a charged condition, and means automatically operable upon release of said locking means for moving said shaft to the first position to closesaid bleeder valve.

4. An air brake system as defined in claim '3, wherein the mechanical locking means comprises: a pivotally mounted lever having one end thereof operatively engageable with the shaft in the second position of said shaft, and the release means includes a member engage able with the opposite end of said bar for moving said one end thereof out of engagement with said shaft when the train line is in the charged condition.

ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Wright et a1. Mar. 24,1953 

